Minute Maid Park Hosting Huge "House Party" in November

Lately it seems like a week can't go by without another music festival being announced in Houston. This one makes a little more sense than some of those others, though.

Clad in matching custom Astros jerseys, Texas country heartthrobs the Eli Young Band stopped by the picturesque lobby of Minute Maid Park Wednesday evening to shake a few hands announce their plans to bring the "House Party" mini-festival, also featuring the Josh Abbott Band, Thomas Rhett and Cody Johnson, to the former Ballpark at Union Station on Saturday, November 15.

The band also performed a brief micro-set of their hits "Even If It Breaks Your Heart," "Dust" and "Crazy Girl," but not after the four members had met every last one of the several dozen of fans -- mostly young women -- who had won a spot on the guest list through Houston country stations 93Q and 100.3 The Bull. (For what it's worth, the Bull winners were a little louder.) One of the first to make it inside sat at a table near the stage and excitedly told her companion, "shit just got real."

L-R: Josh Abbott Band and Cody Johnson

Photos courtesy of HBPR

The band was even introduced by Astros president Reid Ryan, who thanked them for bringing the House Party to Houston.

"This is my old stomping grounds," said singer Mike Eli, who grew up in Tomball. "It's nice to bring the House Party home."

With the former train station's vaulted ceilings and tile floors, the acoustics for the mini-concert were a spot better than they're likely to be when the stage is set up near second base in a few weeks.

Astros president Reid Ryan

Photo by Chris Gray

"It sounds like my bathroom in here," Eli joked.

George Couri, a member of EYB's management team, said the band had successfully launched the House Party at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington last year, and wanted to branch out to Houston. Both Major League Baseball and the Astros were "very cooperative" about bringing the event to Minute Maid, he added.

Rhett, who has scored with hits like "It Goes Like This" and "Get Me Some of That," is the son of '90s star Rhett Akins. His songs have also been recorded by the likes of Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean, but he might have his work cut out for him at the House Party: the fans' screams for him paled in comparison to those for the Texas-based Abbott and Johnson.

Tickets for the Minute Maid House Party go on sale tomorrow via ticketmaster.com.